Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-09-22

countries enlarged, especially with Mexico
and the South American states Half the
attention that is given to the creation Of
false ideas at home that can only make
trouble, if bestowed on the subject of ex-
tending our commercial relations would
bring TO the administration the credit OF
doing something for the American people
that would be Of the most lasting good
want now to talk awhile about the tariff
question And in the first place want to
call attention to the fact that our Demo-
cratic friends have had of late years a great
deal Of trouble in defining their position
with respect to this issue The truth of tbs
matter has been, however, that while there
are many Democrats who are protectionists
yet the party, as such, has all the while
been, and is now essentially a frea
trade party They have not always
had the frankness so to declare
themselves, especially not in Ohic
You will remember how in their platforms of
iSSSA+5 they declared in favor of the resto-
ration OF the wool tariff of 1867, and how
under the leadership of Governor Hoadly
the wool growers that if restored to power,
they would restore that tariff But they
have been restored to power and the wool
tariff has not been changed. And what is
more important is the fact that the PROPOSE
tion OF the National Democratic administra,
ton and PARTY is now to put wool on the
free list. In harmony with this policy Of
the National party, the state Democratic
platform Is entirely silent about wool The
wool growers of the state will please take
notice therefore, that the Democrats of
Ohio no longer pretend to bs in favor of any
tariff on wool The truth of the matter is
they never did in good earnest have any
intention to restore the Old duty. Their
claim in that respect was but false pre-
tense intended to catch votes.
But whatever may have been the case in
the past, the Democrats of Ohio stand on a
platform in this campaign that commits
them to purely revenue tariff as opposed
TO protection. They do not claim to favor
even incidental protection, either in their
platform or on the stump. The consequence
is that the issue is squarely made up between
protection and free trade, and we are called
upon to prefer the one or the other when we
vote at the approaching election 1t is in
order, therefore, to consider the relative
merits OF these two systems We have had
experience with both and can, therefore,
consider them practically as well as theoret-
ically Before proceeding to do so, how
ever, want to notice some remarks my
opponent has made in his speech at Hamil-
ton He goes into quite argument, and
INDUCES in a citation of authorities to show
that President Arthur and Secretary Folger
and others were of the opinion, in 1882 that
our tariff duties should be revised in order
that inequalities, which were recognized to
exist, might be remedied and then proceeds
to charge that our platform favors contin-
uation of all the evils of which thev COM
of the fact, or to have forgotten it, that the
recommendations of President Arthur and
Secretary Folger were acted upon, and that
the tariff system was revised, in 1888, to
correct the inequalities of which they spoke,
and that as a result we had q reduction Of
the revenue to the amount of about $50, 00O-
900 annually, substantially satisfactory to
the whole country except as to the wool
tariff His omission to mention this fact is
made up for, however, by the discovery he
oil at fha hi 0F
who alone have ever sough5 70 tax the
whisky traffic in this state, have become a
free whisky party. l call attention to these
matters, not so much because they need any
serious consideration, but In order that, Gs
have already remarked in another connec-
ton, it may be seen with what degree of
credit we should receive Mr.. Powells state
ments.
CThe governor referred to a statement
made by Mr.. Powell, that the Republican
party had granted to railroads all public
lands so granted, and said in reply to it'll
The truth is that the Republican party did
not come into power until March 4, 1861,
and prior to that time, and subsequent to
1850, there had been forty three congress
sional grants Of all public lands to railroad |
corpor ations, all made by Democratic ad-
ministrations and aggregating more than
$1,000, 600 acres or about three-hfths Of all
the lands that have ever been granted, leay-
ing out of the account the Pacific railroad
further truth is that it was the Democratic
party that inaugurated the policy of max
ing land grants to railroads, and it should
be remembered that it was the policy Of this
party, at the same time, to oppose and re-
fuse homesteads to actual settlers. Presi-
dent Buchanan went so far as to veto the
first homestead act, placing his action on
the ground among others, that such msas-
ure was calculated unduly TO favor the az
ricultural classes
The further truth is that the Republican
party has not made grant of an acre since
1871, or since about one year prior to the
time when Mr.. Powell left the Republican
party. In other words every land grant
the Republican party ever made was while
Mr.. Powell was q Republican, protesting TO
believe in and t. be supporting and uphold
ing Republican policy. never heard that
he complained Of his party for what it did in
this respect while he was yet member of
it. He did not assign its policy in this par
ticular as reason for refusing to support
CIR ant and preferring to support Mr. Gree
ley. II his leaving the Republican party
had any reference to land grants it must
have been that he tired of US because we
determined to quit making such land grants,
or it may be that it was because the latest
grants were to southern railroads-the Texas
Pacific, the Southern Pacific and the New
Orleans, Baton Rouge & Vicksburg being
the last and aggregating more than q, ,OOO,-
900 acres Another evidence of the kind Of |
secGlonal nate tnat inspires tne hepuDncan
party.
The remainder of the speech was devoted
to the tariff. The following are extracts
from it:
This policy of protecting our industries
never became a party question until John
@. Calhoun made it such after the election
of Jackson in 1S2S It was then that the
present Democratic party under the leader
ship of Calhoun, was reorganized and based
on three Distinguishing ideas or principles.
They were slavery, free trade and seces-
sion, or notification it was then called
Slavery and secession are dead, and it would
be well for US if free trade were dead also.
But it is not. It has been revived and
brought forth to be again battled for in this
canvass. While it is matter of regret that
any considerable number of our fellow
citizens should believe in this doctrine, yet
it is matter of congratulation that our
Democratic friends have at last openly es-
poused their cause and that as a consequence
we have the lines definitely drawn, and the
opportunity fairly given to win q victory
that will have some significance.
In considering this question, it should be
remembered that the pri mary idea of pro-
tective tariff is to-day just what it was
when the government commenced
1t is to overcome an inequality Of condi-
tions. The inequality that now chiefly oc-
casions its necessity is in the matter of wages
paid for labor. l might go at great length
into the subject to show the disparity
between the wages paid here and IN other
countries But | do not wish to be tedious
and therefore simply call attention in gem
eral way, to the conceded fact that while
labor is better paid in England than in any
of the other countries with which we must
compete yet it is there paid less by from Is
to so per cent than here. The consequence
is that we must either reduce wages to cor
must make good the difference by
protection or as in the case of the individual
mentioned, go to the wall We are not will
ling to reduce wages, neither are we willing
to go to the wall Hence it is that the
Republican party believes in protective
tariff Oolicy
We believe il better for the whole people,
and espeti lly better for our farming inter-
ests, to have all kinds of trades and ocoupa-
tions and, therefore, we want furnaces, forges.
factories and workshops on every
hand, and we want them full OF tusy,
well paid mechanics and artisans. In this way
compeiitiOn OF the farme 8 with ea h other Is
lessened, and they are given a gretter market
and g better one been iss our own, for Their
ped Icts The n'oQuehce is, not simply q
bstser price for their lands an / their crops,
also IeSs 90 I to them- n II srtenCa has |